The circulation around Chan-hom organized rapidly on Monday and it intensified into a typhoon.  At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Monday the center of Typhoon Chan-hom was located at latitude 18.1°N and longitude 136.8°E which put it about 850 miles (1370 km) southeast of Okinawa.  Chan-hom was moving toward the west at 11 m.p.h. (18 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 85 m.p.h. (140 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 105 m.p.h. (170 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 967 mb.

A primary rainband wrapped completely around the center of circulation of Typhoon Chan-hom and a large eye is apparent on satellite images.  Strong thunderstorms around the eye are generating upper level divergence which is pumping out mass and allowing the surface pressure to decrease.  The typhoon is over water where the Sea Surface Temperature is around 28°C and there is plenty of energy in the upper ocean.  Upper level winds are relatively light and there is not much vertical wind shear.  The environment is very favorable for further intensification and rapid intensification is possible.  Chan-hom is expected to continue to intensify and it could become the equivalent of a major hurricane later this week.

A subtropical ridge north of Chan-hom is steering the typhoon toward the west.  The ridge is expected to steer Chan-hom toward the northwest during the next few days.  On its anticipated track Typhoon Chan-hom could approach the southern islands of Japan in about three days.  It could be a large and powerful typhoon at that time.